Nothing Is Eternal
by kenyizsu
Summary: ... And Elecman has to learn it the hard way. First chapter is kinda lame but the others are good. AU, R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

**Another story with Elecman, I hope everyone will enjoy it! :D R&R please! Kinda AU, I guess  
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**all characters (c) Megaman, CapCom**

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><p>1.<p>

It all started on a wonderful day.

Of course what else can a day be on Jawaii Island? Okay, the rainy season is an exception when it's raining for weeks, but nothing is perfect, eh?

But this story wasn't happening in the rainy season but in the middle of the high season. Just as it should be, the city, Jonolulu and its surroundings were filled with tourists who wanted to sunbath or to hike. The beaches were full. It was noon, the city had woken up long ago. The sea was calm and awesomely blue. Not a cloud in the sky. We can say that this day was perfect in every way. Who could be sad at a time like this?

Of course it depended on what had happened on that certain day. But what could ruin it? Well, maybe bad news, an injury or something like this. These kinds of stuff can surely affect our mood.

For example it can be hot and warm for all you care when you are lying in a hospital with a broken leg. Or bad news can be a bad grade at school or that you are moving out of town (though it's not always bad), losing your job, something bad had happened with a family member, or –God save everyone from that– a relative had died. Your girlfriend broke up with you, you lost something important (documents, key, wallet etc.), you were late from a date, all kinds of things. But today no sad face could be seen.

On the beach kids were building sand castles, women were sitting or lying on the sun or in shadow, reading something in sunglasses, or were swimming in the sea. Men were playing football or let their children bury them in sand. Locals were going to work or to a restaurant to kill time. A lot of people were walking on the streets with ice cream. A fat boy in green T-shirt and blue shorts was passing down on a street on his roller, carrying a metal box that contained a bowl of curry from _#2 Curry_ restaurant. Not far from him a man with long red hair drove to another direction in his electric car, also delivering food.

The weather was the best for surfing, the wind was weak. A lot of people were fishing or collecting shells. Some kids climbed up to palm trees to see if there is any coconut. Mothers were looking through their daughters' collection of shells, two boys had built an entire fortress out of sand and its base was their father whose head was the only thing that could be seen. Boats were cruising on the sea; they were heading away from or to the island. Divers jumped into the water to look for dolphins and fish. Teenagers and kids were wrestling in the water for the beach mattresses. Schools of fish were fleeing from the swimmers, near the coast a few bell-shaped, harmless jellyfish were hovering. Amateur and pro divers touched carefully the sea urchins that got stuck on the rocks.

Seagulls flew across the sky, their voices filled the air. On the airport giant airplanes landed every 15 minutes. Enormous seafarers cruised in the distance. The volcano, which created this island long ago, slept peacefully.

And I haven't even mentioned the NetCity, JonNet. Solo and operated Navis were walking on the streets, dealing with their NetOps' problem or task, talking. A football match was going on in the arena. The results were 2-1. Some were collecting data and information from data streams, others were sitting in the park.

At first sight there is no difference between DenTech City's NetCity and Jonolulu's. The buildings here are much smaller except for one, the system of the TV tower. The walls are propped up by giant black bars. The view would have been great from the top, had it been allowed for everyone to go inside.

Next to the front door a small device is on the wall that indentified the cards of the workers. Everything seemed normal, except for the small sparks it emitted every now and then. Probably just a smaller malfunction.

Or not.

The tower was nearly empty, only a few Navis wandered across its corridors. Saturdays were always days off for Navis.

Because of this no one noticed neither the broken card-reading device nor the shadowy figure that crept across the corridors.

If someone actually got out to roof of the tower, a breath-taking view welcomed him. Though the city is nothing but silver, it still has its own magic. It sure is worth a few minutes. There are no fences near the ledges since Navis rarely come up here and even if they do, they keep themselves away from there.

Down below nobody looked up at the tower and even if they had, they couldn't have seen the small figure standing on the very edge. Only his heels were on the roof, all it took to fall down is to lean a little bit more forward. The heavy generators on his back pulled him back just enough to keep his balance. Under the dark grey helmet two red eyes looked into the depth. Small yellow lightning-shapes ran across his two green cheeks.

He was desperate, hopeless and confused. He couldn't decide whether he should jump or not. His slim and elegant body was covered in dark grey clothes, his arms were bright yellow.

Elecman defiantly decided that he will do it, but here on the roof he was taken aback. He knew that he couldn't survive this fall. He knew that if he leans just a little bit forward, it's over. But he also knew that there was no point in resisting. He could step back, he is not forced to do this… but then again what would be the point in it? He had lost everything in one single hour in the morning. Amazing, isn't it? And his fate was sealed with only one stupid sentence.

It's nearly unbelievable just how much something can be changed by a word or a sentence. Sometimes a word is greater weapons than everything else. It can make someone go mad or can ruin his life. Elecman could tell a few things about it. But right now it was hard for him to even think. He was totally confused, everything had changed so quickly around him that he couldn't adopt it. He had been through many tough times in life but it seems this one had finally broken him.

Suddenly Elecman closed his eyes and leaned forward. He couldn't turn back anymore. But he didn't want to. He was okay with it. But before his heels could slip of the edge…

- KIIID! – someone screamed behind him.

It's amazing what a fraction of one second can be enough for. While falling, Elecman turned to his side to see the one who called him. A big white hand grabbed his arm and jerked him back onto the roof with sheer force.

Dizzy, Elecman fell against that someone. He collided with bright red armor. His savior pinned him against it.

- HAVE YOU GONE COMPLETELY CRAZY? – he screamed into the electric Navi's ear.

Elecman pushed himself away from the armor and looked into two emerald eyes.

- Mag—magnet—man? – he whispered.

The magnetic Navi grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

- Kid, are you mad? – he shouted. – Why the hell did you want to jump down from here?

- What… are you doing here? – Elecman asked, voice low and distant.

- Answer my question, goblin!

- What… what are you do—

- ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!

- I WANNA DIE! – Elecman finally screamed and broke free from the hands.

Magnetman looked at him bewilderedly.

- Why? – he asked softly.

- Because… because…

- Well?

Elecman looked at the ground but stayed silent.

- Kid… – Magnetman forced himself to stay calm. – Tell me what had happened.

- I… – Elecman bit down on his lip. – Zap… Jack… he disowned me.

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><p><strong>Okay, the beginning of this chapter was very lame, but the other chapters will be better, I promise :P<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**I need to write this down XD: In the beginning I hated Magnetman. With all my heart. Especially when I saw that (cutscene in the dubbed) scene where he stabs Elecman with a magnet rod... But after a time I began to make him more... tolerable. Like he still is a gangster but deep down in his heart he knows he is responsible for his little brother (YES, I do believe they are brothers).**

**Yeah, I know. It probably would never happen in the anime, but I did say it was AU :P**

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><p>2.<p>

- Okay, let's go over this once more – Magnetman said as he sat down on a bench with two plastic glasses of tea, next to his silent brother. He gave one to Elecman who took it but only stared at it.

This half an hour was Magnetman's hardest time in his life. Dragging the kid from the TV tower to the park wasn't an easy task either and now comes the comfort part. Oh, maaaan.

He hadn't really planed to spend his vacation like this. He and Gauss often pulled the trick when Gauss disowns Magnetman so the Navi can roam around freely in the net and do even better: avoid the cops. When everything was clear they got together again.

This is how he got here. He crept into the net of a plane as a stowaway and traveled to Jawaii. He was walking on the streets when he felt a strange wave wash over him: a very special SOS sign that could only be given and received by electric type Navis. And this one came from the TV tower. It was forbidden to ignore a sign like this even for those who had the soul of a gangster like Magnetman, so he rushed there and arrived just in time to stop his idiotic little brother from committing suicide. The kid probably didn't know he gave off the SOS.

And now he was here in the park, sitting on a bench and was about to pull the answers out of Elecman even if he had to do it with pincers. Jack disowned him, okay. Magnetman couldn't really understand the kid's pain, after all he had been disowned a few dozen times before. But probably it feels horrible to lose your NetOp forever. The connection with the PET is destroyed, leaving an empty hole behind. After some time it heals though. Magnetman totally got used to it.

- Why did he disown you? – he asked, forcing himself to be calm and patient. He wouldn't achieve anything with shouting. Besides he did plan to have a nice long chat with the kid once Gauss is not around. Well today was the day.

-… I don't know – Elecman mumbled, still staring at the tea.

- You don't know?

- No… Suddenly he just… started screaming at me… that I'm a… disgrace, and that I… never do anything well and… he's… s-sick of me… then…

- Yeah, got it – Magnetman waved and leaned back. – So he just got mad at you all of a sudden?

- He's been nervous for weeks – Elecman slowly shook is head. –… One day I went to the restaurant without him… He said he needed to deal with something first. When he came in much later… he was already jumpy.

Magnetman raised an eyebrow (not that it could have been seen). Can anyone change this drastically in just a few hours? Then again… you got Elecman here for that. Oh whatever, let's go on.

- So he disowned you – he said calmly and drank his tea in one gulp. – So what?

Elecman remunerated the last two words with a deadly glare.

- Listen, kid – Magnetman sighed. – Look around you. There are hundreds of solo Navis out there and all of them can manage on their own.

- But they started like that – Elecman growled.

- Are you sure? – Magnetman asked. – Kid, you don't have the **slightest idea** just how big your luck was with Jack. Many NetOps think of their Navis as throwaway objects – he massaged his neck tiredly. – Thousands of Navis are out there… maybe even millions, hell knows… who were abandoned. What I want to say is that you are not the only one with this problem. E.g. I myself am a solo nowadays –at least for some time– yet here I am safe and sound. Believe me, kid, the most idiotic losers can find their places in the world, not to mention those who have tenth the experience about life as we have.

Elecman stared at his tea.

- Let's face facts – Magnetman continued when he saw he won't get answer shortly. – We are like living fossils among the others. And this is some amazing advantage right now. Think about it: you know what kind of hardships there are in life, you even lived through many of them, you know how to pull yourself together after a blow. All that is different now is that you no longer have a NetOp. Okay, I get it, you are shocked and all but once you calm down you'll see just how awesome is to be a Solo. Sometimes I wish I would become one forever. Gauss is a real nutcase…

Magnetman stopped when he saw something. Elecman didn't say a word but he was crying. Tears fell onto his knees and in his tea. Magnetman leaned forward with a heavy sigh.

- Kid…

- Jack meant everything for me – Elecman sobbed. – I can thank him everything. We've been together for more than 20 years… Now why? What did I do to make him mad?

- I don't know – Magnetman slowly shook his head. – Humans are wacky. But I guess he had some reasons. Anyway, you need to forget it now—

- BUT I CAN'T! – Elecman screamed and threw the plastic glass away that met the pavement with a loud splash. – IT'S NOT THAT EASY, DON'T YOU GET IT? EVERYTHING THAT WAS CERTAIN AROUND ME IS COMPLETELY GONE NOW!

- Kid—

- YOU ARE TALKING LIKE YOU HAD ANY IDEA OF WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH!

- Elecman—

- YOU KNOW NOTHING, YOU COLDBLOODED PSYCHOPATH!

*_SLAP!*_

The giant slap finally shut the green-skinned Navi's mouth.

- Psychopath? – Magnetman's eyes flashed with rage, his voice was shaking from the suppressed aggression. – Me? You don't know what a real psychopath is like! If I were one, I wouldn't have saved your sorry butt, you idiotic goblin! I wouldn't be sitting here, trying to put heart into you! I would have done worse than just a slap. Instead of at least noticing that I'm trying to help here, you even dare to offend me! Now you shut that giant green mouth of yours and you are gonna listen to me! If you dare to make a sound **just once**, I'll personally throw you down from that tower!

After this, Magnetman just sat there for a while and tried to regain his calmness. Elecman has never been that type who would use an insult this harsh. Of course he could quip, and pretty often for that matter but only moderately. Never this harshly… His nerves were definitely about to snap, he couldn't control his own emotions. Even though out of the two brothers Elecman was the one who could always keep his calmness in every situation.

- Oookay – Magnetman finally muttered. – You don't have neither a home nor a job. Yeah, I get it, it's not a very pleasant situation but nothing has been lost yet. Every single NetCity is full of opportunities, if you don't want to live here, then move back to DenTech. You can sneak onto an airplane for all I care. If you keep it cool-head, everything will be so clear you'll get blinded by it. The most important thing is: don't panic, because then you are lost. I'm pretty sure you won't fall into that mistake; you are not that nervous type.

He glanced at Elecman. The kid was holding his cheek where he got the slap but was definitely listening. So Magnetman continued:

- I know a good job in DenTech, if it's still available of course. And even better, it comes with a service flat. There are very few jobs that offer this much, believe me. And you would do great there, I'm sure of it. I could help you in the beginning. What do you say?

Elecman stared at the pavement for a short time, then suddenly lunged forward and hugged Magnetman.

- Thank you – he sobbed.


	3. Chapter 3

**PROTOMAN GETS PWNED, HELL YEAHH!**

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><p>3.<p>

Protoman managed to stop himself from breaking out in swearing while jumping onto another roof. Being a NetAgent wasn't the funniest job ever, especially when you had to follow the bad guys the most idiotic way: "cat on the roof" style. On the top of it in one minute he could see the target, the other he couldn't. He hated night shifts.

The target was walking in a whole system of alleyways. The edge of a black coat brushed the pavement but the steps of the figure were silent. He must have been in a hurry since Protoman could hardly keep up with him. The NetAgent waited for the right moment.

Of course in the beginning he had some doubts about following the right person, since this figure was very different in one thing than the one they were thinking of. But everything else matched so he had a good reason to believe that he actually followed the right Navi. Anyway, he started being fed up with it.

Finally a chance! The figure stopped at one corner. Protoman changed his right lower arm into a CyberSword and jumped down, landing in front of the stunned Navi.

- NetPolice! You are under arrest. Come with me – the NetAgent growled, pinning the peak of the sword against the other's neck. – Resistance wouldn't be wise.

- What the …? – the Navi hiccupped. – What the hell are you talking about?

- Dude, you are running around in an alleyway in the middle of the night like a rat! Don't tell me you aren't up to something fishy.

- Ugh, you are really nuts, Protopunk! I've known it since the N1 Grand Pix, but this one tops everything.

- You know, we can do it the easy way or the hard way. Choose!

- Okay, you know what? Then I choose the—

- WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? – a voice screamed from the end of the alleyway and soon its owner appeared too.

It was an old lady Navi who could paddle extremely fast and was swinging a dangerous-looking reticule. She could use it too as she smacked Protoman on the head with it, who almost fell over.

- Ms. Dotty, thank you for your help – the suspicious Navi bowed to the old lady.

- Have you gone crazy, Mister? – Ms. Dotty shouted at Protoman who was still stunned. – Why did you attack my serviceNavi?

- Your… what?

- A blackout started in my house in the afternoon so I called for service to check it out. The ElectrOffice sent him!

- I was doing **my job**, sucker! – the Navi hissed too. – What, I can't even do night shift cuz I am **suspicious**?

- But… but… - Protoman stammered then managed to pull himself together and showed his insignia. – Ma'am, I'm from the NetPolice, I have orders to take him in.

- You just leave him alone! – the old lady shouted back, swinging her reticule. – My serviceNavi is an honest gentleman who, unlike others, **knows** how to do his job correctly! If you had only seen with how much skill he was treating the situation, you would think other of him.

- Oh, I get it – the Navi growled too. – Just because I had done something ages ago, I can no longer have a proper job either, right?

- What you did was not a simple _something_!

- So what? Damnit, others had done things a thousand times worse, yet you just have to stick on me, right?

- Yes, I have the right to consider you suspicious since you still haven't left World Three, Elecman! – Protoman snapped but he didn't dare to lift his sword up because of Ms. Dotty.

- Where did you get that idea that I'm still a member? – Elecman's red cat-like eyes sparkled with anger.

- My NetOp is currently looking for yours! Soon it will be game over for you…

- What are you talking about? – Ms. Dotty clanged. – The ElectrOffice only employs Solo Navis. Where did you get this amount of stupidity?

Elecman huffed in annoyance and lifted his hand up and summoned a small insignia: the official logo of the ElectrOffice.

- If you want, I can give you identity card too – he hissed.

Protoman stared at the logo. It seemed real but of course it could be fake… But as long as he couldn't tell for sure, he couldn't act against it. He unwillingly dismissed his sword.

- If I realize that this is a scam… - he growled sinisterly.

- You think I'm afraid of you? – Elecman asked in a low voice. – You won't believe it but it's true: you can't do worse to me than what had already happened.

Protoman wanted to ask just what had happened, but Elecman turned on his heels without another word and walked away with Ms. Dotty, speaking of the electric issue in her house.

A screen popped up with Chaud's face on it.

- We couldn't find Count Zap… Where is Elecman?

- Well, this is a long story… - Protoman mumbled.

...

**Sometimes later…**

Elecman wanted so badly to break one of the shop windows while heading home. No effing way! Right when his life was on tracks, the NetPolice has to go after him, especially that stupid psychopath sunglasses-wearing redneck! What the hell did he do to deserve this? Just because he moved back to DenTech City? Where else could he go? He couldn't stay on Jawaii, he would have gone crazy there.

Elecman stopped in front of one of the shop windows and looked at his reflection. There was only one big change in his appearance: his four heavy generators disappeared and they were replaced by a black coat that was brushing the ground. Otherwise his clothes remained the same. On a belt around his hip a long black elegant whip was resting all wound up. This was his weapon and he liked it much more than the generators. Ever since those things got off of his back, he became faster, more agile and more graceful than ever before.

But of course he didn't fight, the whip was only for self defense. He worked at the local electricity works, the ElectrOffice as head serviceNavi. It was a pretty good job and he got it only half a year ago. The service flat that came with it was only just a few streets away, on the fifth floor of a skyscraper. It wasn't a big flat but for one person it was perfect. Elecman climbed the stairs. He didn't like taking the elevator.

The flat consisted of a living-room, a "kitchen" and a bedroom. The "kitchen" was actually a corner of the living-room where a drink dispensing machine-like thing stood which gave energy cubes in exchange of credits. These cubes contained energy similar to the ones in a PET and it helped Navis to replenish themselves. Elecman rarely used that machine because down the main street there was a small bar where 1) the cube was cheaper; 2) the barkeeper and owner was his friend.

The living-room gave on the bedroom. Inside there was a single bed, a small night table was at the end of it, and a smaller cupboard that was only good for placing things on it. Giant windows were looking at the city and there was a glass door that led to a small balcony. Elecman often came out here to stare at the city when he didn't have much to do.

He threw himself onto the bed and started staring at the ceiling. His life was calm except for the beginning when he somehow ended up in very strange bars, meeting very doubtful people. With time, however, he managed to find his place here and finally walked around the city freely. And he could thank all of this to a person he had feared for 20-whatever years: Magnetman. The magnetic Navi always acted like he had broken out of a lunatic asylum, yet at that time he was there to help him, to teach him how to survive alone in the world. Later he had to leave of course when he could get together with Gauss again and continue their anything-but-holy task. Elecman was grateful for everything he did.

He became sleepy. So he glanced at the cupboard, it was a habit of his. A digital photo stood there with three figures on it: an old lady with her two sons, one in red-black suit, the other in yellow T-shirt and green shorts.

The Zap family, when Mama Zap was still alive.

Only two things remained with Elecman from his past life: this picture and his symbol: the forked lightning that was also the symbol of the family. He managed to steal the picture from Jack's computer on the night he left with Magnetman. He never told anybody about his entire past, only parts maybe. He even disclaimed that he would be related anyhow to the Zap family. At the ElectrOffice they often asked him why he hadn't changed his symbol then if he had nothing to do with the world famous family, the reformers of electricity. Elecman always replied that was just a coincidence and that he didn't want to change his logo because he wouldn't be himself then.

He had learnt to accept his fate and never had a bad word against Jack. He always respected his NetOp (and his enemies too), he was sure that Jack had a very good reason to disown him. If he didn't deserve to be the part of the family, then so be it. He wasn't angry, just sad that he could no longer see his friends. He often thought about them, how the business is going, how many guests are there, etc.

Elecman closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Dude is the name of a Navi I came up with XD Yeah I know it's lame but I think it fits his personality pretty well.**

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><p>4.<p>

Dude had always been coolheaded. And was totally satisfied with his life. Seriously, how many Navis can have the opportunity to be the boss of himself and have a good buffet to manage?

The archaically sounding "Layer to the neon light" buffet was on one of the main streets with bright yellow letters on black background and it even shone during the night. It wasn't the most popular place in the entire city but there were always enough guests. Just like every other snack bar, it had its own barflies. Mostly talkative Navis.

Dude was drying up a glass, standing with his back to the bar and he looked at his reflection in the mirror behind the shelves. A tall, slim NetNavi in bright orange suit, his eyes were hidden behind light blue visors. Yup, his place was right here. He had found the "Nirvana". A smile crossed his face.

He heard as the little bell hanging over the front door jingles as someone pushed the door against it. He got the idea from the humans who used it to hear if there's a new costumer and it worked perfectly.

He didn't turn around, knowing that the guest will tell someday what he wants.

_*FWAP!*_

Okay, Dude had to look behind his back to this sound. The costumer was sitting at the bar, his face on the board.

- Oh, hey there, Elecman – Dude grinned.

The electric Navi had the habit of walking in here in the beginning of every day-off, performing a masterful headdesk then drinking his usual Energystroke.

- I'm so dead – Elecman moaned, still lying on the board.

- What now? – Dude sighed.

Elecman was the only barfly who was quiet and had a tendency of being a little bit down in the dumps.

- NetPolice got on my tail…

Dude almost dropped the glass. He turned on his heels.

- WHAT DID YOU DO, MAN? – he shouted.

- Nothing, that's the point – came the mumbled answer.

- Cops don't go after you for nothing!

- Okay, okay. You know, I had been working for World Three half a year ago – Elecman moaned. – Now they noticed my face and they sent the sunglasses-wearing sucker at me.

- Oh God, please tell me it's not…

- Protoman? Of course it is him. He had to get the case – Elecman sighed. – Only Ms. Dotty could save me from death.

- Who?

- Nevermind, a patron. I was trying to get the electricity right in her flat. The point is: if she's not there, I would have been speared by that psycho's sword.

- Maaaan… I've heard rumors of him but this…

- Remember the N1 Grand Pix?

- A little. Why?

- Well, I met him there for the first time. He almost deleted me.

-… No way.

- Yes way. Listen to me, if you ever face him, run. Don't even think about stopping and fighting with him.

- Okay, sure. So the usual?

- Yeah, please.

Dude started meting the drink. Out of all of his barflies, Elecman had the most screwed-up past. It was miracle that he was still alive at all.

The little bell jingled again.

...

Elecman was still lying on the board but he immediately recognized the voice when it spoke, even though the last time he had heard it was a year or so ago.

- Excuse me, is it open?

A girl. Elecman didn't move an inch.

- Of course, dear, sit down – Dude offered her a seat. LadiesMan.

Turned out she sat right next to Elecman. Hurray…

- Would you like a drink? – Dude asked her.

- A Refresher, please.

Elecman felt the sea blue eyes on him. Soon he also felt a shy poke on his arm.

- Ex-excuse me, sir… are you feeling alright? – the girl asked a little startled.

- Never been better – Elecman answered but didn't get up.

He strained his voice a little to make it an even bigger surprise. The girl didn't recognize him.

Dude placed the Energystroke and the Refresher on the bar. The new guest started messing with her drink.

- So tell me – Elecman started, calmly sitting up –, What's up with you, Roll?

The Navi in the god-so-pink suit almost fell of her chair.

- Elecman? – she managed to clung onto the edge of the board.

The electric Navi smiled a little and looked at his drink.

- What's with you? – apparently Roll was taken aback by the sudden encounter.

- What's with me? – Elecman looked at her. – Uh… nothing.

- What are you doing here?

- Drinking.

- What're these clothes?

- Coat.

- WOULD YOU MIND GIVING ME A LUCID ANSWER?

- Right when I hear a lucid question, sweetheart.

Roll's face turned red.

- You know each other? – Dude finally managed to get a word in.

- Old familiar – Elecman grinned.

- You left out the "bad" adjective! – Roll hissed.

- If you say – the electric Navi shrugged and went back to drinking. – You still haven't answered my question, though.

- What was that?

- What's new with you? How's the school going for Maylu?

- Why would you care?

- Oh my, is she about to fail?

- WHAT— NO!

- I thought it would be the case…

Dude rolled his eyes behind his visor. Elecman wasn't the best chat partner ever.

- Nothing! – Roll snapped. – Happy now?

- Yup.

- Well what are **you** doing here? Where is Count Zap? I'm pretty sure you are up to something again, ar— – Roll growled, but couldn't continue.

Something flashed up in Elecman's eyes for a moment: pain.

The electric Navi put down his empty glass on the bar, then placed something next to it and left without a word. Roll was about to go after him when her eyes were caught by those things. They were credits. Flat square-shaped black chip-like things with thin purple lines.

Only Solo Navis paid with credits. Those with NetOps were paying with real money. Credit was worthless in the human world, it was created when NetCity got in the picture so even Solo Navis had a currency they could buy stuff with.

- I'll come back soon – Roll stood up and rushed after Elecman.

Dude shrugged and turned back to dry up the glasses.

Roll caught up with Elecman on the main street.

- Elecman, wait!

The electric Navi didn't stop. The girl managed to get next to him.

- Listen to me, will ya! – she snapped.

- What is it? – the red eyes flashed at her.

Roll hated those irises. They had some kind of hypnotizing ability.

-… Listen, I… I didn't mean it that way—

- How can this have more meanings?

- I don't know. But still… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything…

Elecman stopped and sighed heavily. Suddenly the number of years showed up on his face, and Roll had to realize that despite the young appearance, Elecman was decades older than she was.

- You know how you can help me? – the electric Navi tiredly asked, leaning against a wall.

- Yes?

- The next time you and Maylu meet that Chaud guy, tell him to leave me alone.

- Why?

- Cuz they are on my tail. Protopunk almost speared me last time.

- Really?

- I couldn't do my job properly.

- Maybe it was better that way—

- I'm working for the ElectrOffice, sweetheart. My boss will gut me if I do something wrong. And last night it almost happened thanks to that long-haired sucker.

- Oh… okay, I guess.

Roll didn't get it. Elecman is working for the ElectrOffice? What happened to Count Zap? She didn't dare to ask, she started having the feeling that the mention of the count's name made Elecman mad.

- Thanks, honey – Elecman smiled tiredly then with a wave of his hand he walked away.

The girl walked back to the bar to finish her drink, her thoughts going around in her head like crazy.

...

Elecman was walking on the main street, deep in thoughts when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. There was a giant crowd at a skyscraper's foot. But the show wasn't going down here but up there on the giant screen hanging from the wall. The electric Navi wasn't really interested at first but the next minute he was breaking his way through the crowd to get a better view.

The screen showed a disgustingly rainbow-colored thing: a Dimensional Area. Normally Elecman would be sick of those things since nowadays everything was about those sucker Dark Loids. This phenomenon was their trick, with it they could run amuck in the human world but only in the inside of that cupola.

Elecman knew a few Dark Loids. He was unfortunate enough to meet them in the beginning of his Solo life, ending up in doubtful places. He was more than fed up with the news talking about them. But right now he had a very good reason to be interested. This particular cupola grew extremely big and covered a part of a city, and not just any city.

Elecman managed to fight his way to the front.

- Oh God, please no… - he whispered, turning pale very fast.

The Dimensional Area was towering over Jonolulu, the only city on Jawaii Island. The electric Navi's experienced eyes quickly found a certain street corner with a certain building.

Elecman turned on his heels and started running. The crowd opened before him, a lot of people swore at him but he didn't care about them. He was running advisedly to one direction.

A minute later he reached a smaller rectangle-shaped field that was edged in between to skyscrapers. It had yellow flashing pavement and a sign was hanging from above, saying: TransServer. A place that could teleport you to another NetCity.

As if he was performing a long-jump, he launched himself at the door step and landed in the middle of the field. Immediately a screen popped up with a woman who looked like a stewardess.

- Sir, I'm sorry but the TransServer is temporarily closed because of the Jawaiian Dim—

- Open it! I have to get to JonNet! – Elecman snapped, not caring about the monologue.

JonNet was the NetCity of Jonolulu.

- But sir, that's where—

- You think I don't know? This is exactly why I have to go there!

- I'm truly sorry, but I cannot do this for your own good.

- Ma'am, I beg you! – Elecman shouted desperately. – I need to save humans there!

- But—

- PLEASE!

The woman was hesitating for a long moment then finally turned the TransServer on.

- Please, be careful.

Elecman nodded and plunged into a swirling portal that led to JonNet.


	5. Chapter 5

**My favourite Dark Loid (after Shademan) is definitely Fridgeman. Look at him, he is soo cute! :D You just can't see him without saying or doing something that makes you LOL.**

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><p>5.<p>

Fridgeman could tell one thing for certain: he **loved** being a Dark Loid. He could mess with humans whenever and wherever he wanted to. To the questions why here in Jonolulu and why at noon he couldn't really give a proper answer, maybe because he just wanted to.

He thought he would chill the humans out on the tropical island. Though with this action he didn't really help the grand plan of taking over the world, but at least he had some fun. It was a really hard to borrow these few Dimensional Area Generators from Shademan. But he succeeded and now he tried to get the most out of it.

Humans were fleeing from him, screaming their heads off, even though Fridgeman was smaller than them. Since he was a dumpling he was slogging slowly through the street on his short legs. He was heading towards a certain building that emitted especially hot air. He wanted to freeze that first.

"_#2 Curry_"… What kind of lame name was that for a building? Suddenly four humans burst out of it: three adults and one very fat kid with the mouth of a catfish. One of them was a woman with an amazing amount of pink hair. The others were men. One had white skin and long red hair, the other was a very tan Indian guy.

- Humans – Fridgeman snickered as he stopped. – You are so stupid, you know. Why did you come out? So you can stop me?

The four humans were shivering.

- Alright then. Let's decorate this place with a few ice statues, shall we? – Fridgeman lifted his arm up.

Suddenly a black whip curled around his wrist and through it came a large amount of electricity as well. The ice Navi was stunned by this and tilted his head back to see his new opponent.

- It's not a nice thing to attack defenseless people – a calm voice said a few meters away from him.

- HEYY! – Fridgeman's eyes widened. – I know your face! Aren't you the goblin from that bar about 4 months ago?

- You've got some good memory, Fridgey – Elecman nodded as he was pulling backwards the Navi's arm.

Fridgeman huffing like a bull ripped his arm out of the tie. Elecman curled it up, ready to fight.

- You think you're soooo cool, eh? – the ice Navi hissed maliciously, not paying attention anymore to the humans who slowly sidled out of the picture.

- No – Elecman shrugged. – I just know when to kick someone's butt. Yours must be kicked today.

- Maaan, I'm sooooo scared…

- You will be.

Fridgeman had had enough. He summoned two giant ice cubes on the ground that slid towards Elecman, trying to run over him. But the electric Navi jumped out of the way and answered with a Twin Bolt. He hit Fridgeman who fell on his back. Elecman knew that his opponent was not a stirrer. He needed to use this against him.

From wall to trash can, from trash can to car, from car to wall; he was jumping around madly, trying to avoid the ground and to be as quick as possible. Fridgeman, despite being ice type, lost his patience very quickly. Elecman took advantage out of it.

He stayed on the top of a car for longer than usual. His opponent suddenly launched himself up to the air and retracting his limbs into his body he started falling. This trick was very much like Magnetman's finishing move. Elecman knew that now the timing was essential. He waited for the last moment before jumping out of the way.

Fridgeman slammed into the car. The vehicle blew up.

- AAAAAHHHHHHHH! – Fridgeman screamed. – FIREFIREFIREFIREEE!

He fled from the flames, but his scarf caught fire. He was trying to extinguish it when Elecman simply jumped there and sloshed one to him. Then he tied the whip around the other Navi's leg and smacked him into the ground one more time while shocking him.

Fridgeman was down.

- Give up? – Elecman asked still calmly, pointing the curled up whip at the other.

- Never! – the ice Navi hissed back, though he could not get up.

Elecman tied the whip around his arm and dragged his opponent with him. He didn't want to leave this guy alone but he had to talk with Maddy and the others before the Dimensional Area collapses.

The humans were hiding behind a corner, watching the match. Elecman dragged Fridgeman in front of them then looked at them.

- Long time no see – he smiled wanly.

Maddy was the first one to pull herself together.

- You… changed – she mumbled.

Elecman was extremely tall in the human world, around 2 meters.

- Yeah, well… we change with time – Elecman shrugged and kicked the all-too-squirming Fridgeman hard.

The ice Navi cried out in pain then started swearing amazingly dirty until the next kick came.

Elecman looked around.

- Where is Jack? – he asked quietly.

- Uhhh… in Kingland – Mr. Match answered.

Maddy bit her lower lip. Elecman eyed them suspiciously.

- Why did he go there?

Yahoot waved, looking everywhere but into the Navi's eyes. Elecman started to have the feeling that they weren't telling him everything. He was about to ask more, but Fridgeman had had enough and logged out.

The Dimensional Area collapsed, forcing Elecman back to the network.

He arrived to one of the streets of JonNet. He felt a little dizzy but soon he pulled himself together and with a heavy sigh he headed towards the TransServer to go home.

...

By the time the NetAgents Lan Hikari and Chaud Blaze arrived, the citizens of Jonolulu were already occupied with cleaning up.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Another month had passed quietly. In the meantime Lan and the others managed to prevent a catastrophe. And by catastrophe we mean a giant Dimensional Area covering up the entire planet Earth and a giant Navi rampaging through DenTech City.

After the horror had passed, peace took over everything again. Elecman managed to get back in his usual daily drift too, and even better: he could tell about himself that he survived the greatest trick of the Dark Loids when they kidnapped hundreds of NetNavis in order to power the Dimensional Area Generators with their souls. The ElectrOffice had an amazingly deep and wide system of basements to store data, and Elecman fled down there along with his boss and a few of his colleges from the UFO-like things that sucked up the Navis.

Right now he was walking on the main street, heading home from the _Layer to the neon light_. His boss was so grateful to him for saving his life that he had allowed him to have more days off. Today was one for example.

Elecman was calm, even happy though he didn't really know why. He was just enjoying himself. He was sure nothing could bring him down.

[_**Murphy's Law:**__ if you are sure nothing can ruin your day, something __**will**__ surely come to do it._]

- Elecman, wait up! – a familiar voice rang through the street from behind him.

He turned around. Not far from him Wackoman was rolling on his giant ball. Elecman smiled widely and stopped.

- Wackoman! – he laughed.

But soon his smile drooped from his face. Wackoman was pale; very pale. And not just his face, his entire body was faded. The clown had an interesting ability: his colors showed his mood. If he was pale, something was very wrong.

- What's the matter? – Elecman asked quietly.

Wackoman gulped before he could say a word:

- Elecman… I… have to tell you something…

...

Days had been quiet in the SciLab nowadays. Time was spent with experimenting and constructing.

Dr. Hikari, Lan's father, leader scientist was sitting in front of his computer and was calculating something when Lan's face popped up on the screen.

- Hi dad! You got a call – the kid said.

- Who is it? – Dr. Hikari asked. He wasn't expecting anyone today.

Lan's face switched to a Navi's. He had greenish skin, red cat eyes, dark grey helmet and two little lightnings running down on his cheeks. Lan had told a few things about him.

- Aren't you… Elecman? – Dr. Hikari remembered his name.

- Good afternoon, Dr. Hikari – Elecman nodded briefly. He looked very nervous. – I must ask a favor from you.

- … Yeesss?

- I've heard of your invention; you can create Dimensional Areas anywhere on the Earth with it, right?

- How do you—

- Your son told me – Elecman waved impatiently. – I would like you to create one on the given coordinates…

- Excuse me, but we aren't working by proxy—

- PLEASE! – Elecman howled then immediately lowered his voice. His shoulders were shaking from the suppressed emotions. – I beg you… This is very important for me. Please! Just for a few hours. I don't need more time…

Dr. Hikari sighed heavily. They had owed Elecman one for stopping Fridgeman once in Jonolulu anyway.

-… Where to? – he asked, already messing with the controls of the Generators.

- To Kingland. I'll send the coordinates – Elecman answered. – Thank you.

And with that he closed the channel.

...

Just what kind of place is a cemetery? Some say it's the place of sadness, others see the peace in it, another think it's fearsome.

But it sure is quiet. You can't hear many sounds other than the sough of the wind and rustle of the trees' leaves. Maybe a funeral service or a heart-breaking wail can disturb this silence.

Every cemetery is the same, even in Kingland, "the Earth's Beverly Hills", where giant castles and mansions of rich families rose to the sky. Some keep a vacation house here, others live here.

For example the famous Zap family, the biggest reformers of electronics lived here once. The modern world could thank them many devices and energy input methods without which life is unimaginable nowadays. The giant leap of the improvement of the Internet is partly their merit too.

However, the Zap family has faded away, completely parted. One single symbol: a little forked white lightning before black background and one old ruined, once beautiful castle kept their memory.

The early death of the father started all of it. The mother controlled the fortune, the lordships and the business with an iron fist and had time for her two sons too, yet she couldn't stop the falling. The elder child at the age of 17 ran away from home and created his own fortune but in the meantime he changed his last name. The younger was clever but light minded and he was more interested in rock&roll music. He inherited the castle, he even got married but soon his adventurous personality chased him away from home and he ended up in a crime organization after many adventures.

This brave man hadn't lost his energy even in old age and managed to cause a lot of trouble to a city with his NetNavi who was loyal yet totally the opposite of his NetOp. This Navi could tell many stories, hadn't he been tight lipped.

For him the most important things were the feelings. Though he showed himself cold and emotionless on the outside, in the inside every little emotion had a big role. This Navi could love more than anyone could have imagined. He even could love those who caused him pain somehow, he could forget the past.

The natural colors of the cemetery changed to disgusting rainbow-ish as a Dimensional Area appeared out of nowhere. The green trees became yellow, the gravestones pink, the roads orange. But even these happy colors couldn't break the gloomy aura.

Someone walked along a path with soft steps, the edge of a dark coat brushed the ground.

At the end of the path there was a freshly interred grave yet it wasn't covered in flowers and girdles like it should. There were only three big corsages and one girdle that had a sign on its ribbon: "_From your friends at #2 Curry_".

The gravestone wasn't big but nice. It was made of dark grey marble, the name and the years of his berth and death were graved on it. Under those lines there was a small chamber that was closed with a glass-wall. It had a grey-yellow PET in it as if the departed wanted to show everyone that he had a NetNavi once too. Under the chamber there were two other lines with smaller letters.

Elecman sat down before the grave and put his hand on the mound.

- Hello, Jack – he whispered. – Missed me?

The adventurous man, like everyone else once, ended up here.

Elecman quietly cried.

- I understand. Now I understand everything – he sighed. – Wackoman told me everything. You wanted to help. When you were late from the restaurant, you went to the hospital where they told you had cancer. And that you only had about half a year left… – his voice grew weak but he continued. –… You were afraid of death but you feared more for me that I will go mad when you leave, right? You feared for me so you tried to make me hate you, secede from you so it won't hurt me…

Elecman wiped his tears away then smiled wanly.

- You only succeeded partly, Jack. I've always loved you, even after you disowned me. But you were right, I would have gone mad if I had lost you while being next to you. It still hurts, Jack, hurts very much but… maybe it's better this way. Wackoman told me that you visited Mama many times… and that you were interred three days ago.

He started crying again.

- Thank you… I thank you. For everything – he whined as he read the writing under the chamber:

_Farewell, Elecman!_

_And thank you_

- If you didn't throw me away in time, I couldn't have born it… You saved my life, Jack… thank you…

Someone was coming but Elecman didn't have the strength to get up. A giant white hand helped him up surprisingly carefully. Almost like half a year ago in Jonolulu.

- I'm truly sorry, kid – Magnetman said softly. – I came as soon as I got the news from Gauss. He'll arrive soon too.

Elecman wiped off his tears again.

- Thank you for coming – he answered and looked back at the grave.

- It would have killed you if you had stayed his Navi – Magnetman sighed.

- Yeah, I know – Elecman smiled a little. – He wanted to save me for one last time. Have you ever heard of something like this?

- Never – Magnetman shook his head. – Jack was very special. I envy you for him.

Elecman's face clouded over as he watched the gravestone.

- I didn't want it to end. Even though I knew I would live this day – he whispered.

Magnetman hugged him and pulled him close.

- Life goes on, kid.

Elecman buried his face into the other's neck to hide his tears.

- I know – he sobbed. – But without him it will never be the same again.

The magnetic Navi couldn't answer for that.

- If only I could bring something here – Elecman continued. – But everything would disappear when the Area collapses.

-… And that rose bush over there? – Magnetman asked and let go of his little brother.

Elecman looked behind his back. Yellow roses were blooming not far from them. The electric Navi smiled then rushed there to tear one. He pinned it into the girdle so the wind won't carry it away, and stepped back.

- We will never forget you – he whispered. – Be happy, wherever you are now.

He managed to force himself to turn around and let Magnetman pull him away from there gently yet firmly. The two brothers logged out, returned to the Network. The Dimensional Area collapsed as it no longer had a purpose.

One of the leaves of the yellow rose fluttered into the direction the two Navis had been a moment ago. Jack waved in farewell and left forever, knowing that yellow rose is the most beautiful present he ever had.

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><p><strong>Aaaand that's all, folks! I really hope you enjoyed it and thank you for reading :D<strong>


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